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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22997974">On Tilt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Topaz_Eyes/pseuds/Topaz_Eyes'>Topaz_Eyes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Strike Back</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, Missing Scene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:02:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22997974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Topaz_Eyes/pseuds/Topaz_Eyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re going to see how many brain cells you lost after that stunt you pulled.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Thomas "Mac" McAllister/Samuel Wyatt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Tilt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Missing scene tag for s8e2, so spoilers for this episode.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mac had propped himself against the tumble-down wall of the derelict barn and was waiting when the rest of the team pulled up.</p><p>Wyatt flung open the back passenger door and jumped from his seat before Novin braked to a complete stop.  He sprinted towards Mac, who looked up unsteadily, trying to peer at him; he immediately shied away from the bright afternoon sun that finally peeped through the cloud.</p><p>Wyatt slid to a stop on the soaked grass in front of him.  Mac looked up again at Wyatt’s shadow in a daze.</p><p>“The hell you doing here?”</p><p>Wyatt bowed his head to meet his slightly fuzzy gaze.  “Big Mac, you son-of-a-bitch,” he said with a shaky grin, his voice cracking a bit at the end.  A split second later he pulled Mac up to standing and into a crushing hug, burying his face in the side of Mac’s neck.  “Thought we lost you there for a minute.”</p><p>Mac’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he closed his eyes and returned the squeeze as he slowly figured out what Wyatt meant.  “I’m fine, dickhead,” he mumbled, half in protest, “I’ll live.”  He felt, rather than heard Wyatt’s relieved laugh at that; but the reverberation and the movement jarred his head and he winced.  “Fuck, that hurts.”</p><p>“Sorry, man,” Wyatt said, loosening the embrace but not letting him go yet.  No matter how conflicted he felt about Mac heading off to officer training, he’d almost died on that train, and he definitely wasn’t ready for that to happen.  Ever.</p><p>Another silhouette jogged up to join them; Novin’s face was wreathed in watery smiles.  “There you are,” she said, and Wyatt stepped back a little to let Novin in too.  “The fuck, Mac, don’t leave us hanging like that next time,” she added, throwing her arms around both of them.</p><p>“Sergeant McAllister,” Coltrane said a few moments later.  Novin and Wyatt released Mac to brace him on either side; Mac leaned on Wyatt and looked up blearily at Coltrane’s voice.  Coltrane stood with Chetri beside him, who was visually assessing Mac’s injuries.</p><p>“Yeah, boss?”</p><p>Coltrane shook his head in disbelief, then grinned himself.  “Well done, Mac.  How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Like my head’s in a bloody vise.  Bit dizzy, ears ringing, light hurts–”</p><p>“That would be a concussion talking,” Chetri said.  “He should be checked straight away to rule out further head trauma.”</p><p>“Excellent advice, Lance Corporal.  Where’s Demachi?”</p><p>“In there,” Mac said, waving vaguely towards the barn door.  “Somewhere.”</p><p>“Right.  Chetri and I will handle Demachi.  Wyatt, you and Novin accompany Mac to hospital.  Usual cover story.  We’ll meet you there when we’re done.”</p><p>“Copy that,” Wyatt said.</p><p>Coltrane drew his sidearm and headed towards the barn door; Chetri remained behind a moment, hesitating.  “I’m glad you’re all right, sir,” she said after a beat.</p><p>Mac nodded, wincing again at the movement.  “Couldn’t’ve got on the train without you, Chetters.”</p><p>Chetri blinked, surprised, then tilted her head in acknowledgement, smiling to herself as she turned away to follow Coltrane’s lead.  “Keep him quiet but don’t let him sleep until he’s been cleared,” she called back.</p><p>“Understood,” Wyatt said.</p><p>“Well, you heard the boss, let’s go,” Novin said.  “I’m driving.”</p><p>Wyatt slung Mac’s arm over his shoulder and together they stumbled to the waiting vehicle.  He set Mac up in the middle of the back seat where it was most stable and least susceptible to road bumps, and sat behind Novin.  Mac closed his eyes against the sun streaming through the windshield, so Wyatt loaned him his sunglasses.</p><p>“Where are we going again?” Mac said after a few minutes on the road.  “Hospital, yeah?”</p><p>Wyatt and Novin glanced at each other through the rear view mirror.  “Yeah, we’re going to see how many brain cells you lost after that stunt you pulled,” Novin said as she merged onto the motorway back towards Tirana.</p><p>“He’s probably lost enough now to become an officer,” Wyatt said lightly.</p><p>“Sounds about right,” Mac quipped.  Wyatt and Novin laughed outright; Mac chuckled at that too, briefly, then pressed on his temples.  “Shit.  Probably shouldn’t have laughed there.”</p><p>“Chetri did say to keep you quiet,” Wyatt said.</p><p>“Copy.”  They fell silent, Wyatt checking over every so often to make sure Mac hadn’t dropped off beside him.  Staring out the window, he startled a few minutes later when Mac addressed him.</p><p>“About earlier, Wyatt… You said you’d be happy to follow me as your C.O.,” Mac said, soft enough that Novin couldn’t hear in the front seat.  “You sure on that?”</p><p>Wyatt stiffened at the question.  If he told him the truth—hell no, the last thing he wanted was for Mac to move on—he knew Mac would give up his promotion and stay in a heartbeat, just out of loyalty to the team.  To him.</p><p>But he was an asshole to think Mac should throw away a desired career just because Wyatt was feeling left behind.  And Mac was waiting on an answer; he’d removed the sunglasses and was regarding him with outright concern.</p><p>Wyatt thought of the stolen stash waiting for him in his rucksack back at the crib instead.  “To the end, McAllister,” Wyatt said finally, holding out his fist for a fistbump, “to the fucking end.”</p>
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